It was a sweet repeat for Robert Brunelle in the Leading Edge RunWild half-marathon.
The winning time for the 32-year-old Edmonton runner was a personal best one hour, 22 minutes and two seconds for a new course record.
"It feels good. I couldn't be happier," Brunelle said. "I worked a lot harder training for it this year."
The runner-up was Sean Seville of St. Albert at 1:27:16, 38 seconds ahead of St. Albert teenager Ben Sperling in third place.
Last year Brunelle finished first at 1:25:12.
"I did want to win again but I was concentrating more on just running an even pace throughout. I think I maintained that even there was a tough stretch with a lot of wind but the course was phenomenal," said Brunelle, who waited at the finish line for his wife, Michelle, to complete the half-marathon at 1:55:15 for 88th place overall.
In the inaugural 2011 RunWild, Brunelle placed third overall at 1:29:51 and the winner, Jason Yorke of Edmonton, was clocked at 1:25:37.
"The first year they tweaked the course and I found I was a bit off. It wasn't as scenic either," Brunelle said. "This year they made some adjustments and it was flatter and more scenic than the first year."
The doctor in training at the University of Alberta ("I just have to walk across the stage but I've got everything") is a huge RunWild fan.
"Whether I won it or I was 50th, it's a great event," he said. "It's really well organized. There is no race day anxiety. I don't feel I have to try the course a bunch of times to know where I have to go. The (pace Zebras) bike was ahead of me. The pylons were everywhere. People were friendly. The volunteers were exceptional and that makes a race. They were all over the place. They were out here as soon as the sun comes up and they stay until the last guys finish."
In total, 351 runners went the distance under ideal race conditions.
"You couldn't ask for a better day. I don't know how they order this perfect weather," Brunelle said.
Last year's RunWild triumph was the highlight of Brunelle's racing season. Exams, practicums at the Grey Nuns and Royal Alexandra hospitals, plus the birth of a baby daughter grounded the former Oral Roberts University Golden Eagle.
This year Brunelle will run in the 49th annual Calgary Scotiabank Marathon on May 26 and some triathlons.
Fastest female
Melanie Muise, the top female in Sunday's half-marathon, finished with a faster time than expected at 1:36:28 as the 12th runner to complete the 21.08-km route.
"It's a good start to the season for where I'm at. I'm very happy with that time," said Muise, adding that it wasn't close to her personal best. "My goal was to be strong and solid and just have a good race and enjoy the experience of racing again and I accomplished that."
Muise, 34, described her run as challenging.
"There is a stretch where you feel like you're out in the middle of nowhere. All the people were stretched out and you feel like you're alone so it was tough to push by yourself," she said. "But other than that it's a beautiful day. We have sun. There is no snow. You can't ask for anything better."
Muise entered her first RunWild because of the feedback she received about the race.
"Everyone I know who has done this race said it was a positive experience," she said. "I absolutely love it. It's a great race. There are a lot of people, whether it's volunteers or people from the community out cheering. It's really fun. It's a nice community and it's a nice race to have the community behind it."
Muise has been running competitively for 14 years and the half-marathon is her favorite distance.
"It's comfortable. It's a great race to start the season with."
The RunWild title is the latest race victory for the five-foot-two speedster.
"This is familiar for me but no matter what my time is it's a great experience to run so I'm happy with today," said the former Sudbury, Ont. resident who moved to do her PhD at the University of Alberta, where she works in research in the pediatric department.
The female runner-up was Mackenzie McCormick of Edmonton at 1:37:40 for 15th place and Nathalie Langstaedtler of Morinville was third at 1:40:59 for 22nd place.
Overall, 221 females finished the half-marathon.
FAST TRACKS: The first RunWild runner to grace victory lane at the finish line was 14-year-old Melina Kuerschner in the five km race. The time for the Grade 9 Edmonton student was 19:40, two seconds ahead of William Lampe, a competitor in the 20 to 29 category.
The winner of the 10 km race was Corey Halabi of Edmonton at 37:22 and the first-place female was Kelly Stott of St. Albert at 44:33 for seventh overall.
There were 392 finishers in the five km and 378 in the 10 km.
Visit www.zone4.ca for complete race results.
